The Cutting Room: Ash vs Evil Dead

February 19, 2015

February 19, 2015

Ash vs Evil Dead

Everybody’s favourite chainsaw-handed, convenience store deadbeat is back to face off once again versus the nefarious Evil Dead. We say “Groovy!”

Why we’re looking forward to this: You have to ask? Just kidding. The first two Evil Dead films are masterpieces of modern horror, and the third one was pretty good though we don’t consider it quite in the same league here at This Is Horror, but the one thing that sets them (decapitated) head and shoulders above the other genre flicks of the era is one Ashley James Williams, or just plain old Ash to his friends and legions of fans.

Ash was such a hit because he’s not a super hero type guy, doesn’t work out, barely works at all in his job at the S-mart store and has pretty much nothing going for him except for the fact that when faced with the onslaught of the Evil Dead, he stepped up to the plate, and with the greatest of ease became a people’s champion. A wise cracking, smart ass people’s champion, granted, but anybody who can rock a chainsaw for a hand, and use the word “Groovy” and still come across as cooler than the other side of the pillow is a winner in our book.

Fans have been clamouring for another Evil Dead sequel for years, but Bruce Campbell and writer/director Sam Raimi have teased and teased but have never come through, until now. We’re not getting a film, though, we’re getting a television series and we firmly believe that this is the better route to go given the excellent state of genre TV these days. Rather than produce an expensive film that would more than likely go straight to Blu-ray and disappear into cultdom, a series allows for the considerable legion of horror fans who regularly tune into The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Bates Motel, and even Game of Thrones to rediscover the delights of Ash, or even discover him for the first time.

Aiming squarely at the horror comedy end of the splatter spectrum, Ash vs Evil Dead will provide Ash with a couple of companions, and though details are sketchy at the moment, Campbell himself hinted that there may be a male counterpart for him to bond with, and also a daughter, which could make for some interesting parenting once the heads literally begin to roll.

Television could do with a little humour mixed in with the otherwise unrelenting horror that permeates most of the current shows on the box, and so we’re optimistically anticipating good things for the return of Ash and his boomstick.

Ash vs Evil Dead is currently in production and due on our screens towards the end of 2015.

RICHARD COSGROVE

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